Cara was abandoned on a stubble field by two busy main roads in the middle of a scorching hot summer in July 1996 (she was about nine years old). With no water and no food, she had a heavy iron chain around her neck, which had cut down into the crest of her neck by about 1½ inches and was badly infected. We brought her to our centre – the ILPH, Redwings, Horsewatch, RSPCA and the police were all involved. Cara was dehydrated; emaciated and so weak she could hardly stand. Her wound was in danger of causing peritonitis.

The ‘owner’ threatened and verbally abused us and despite all involved Flicka had to pay her owner so she was not returned to him, pending legal action, by which time she could have been dead. Cara is about 11 hh, she is very highly strung and nervous, she also has arthritis in her stifles where she had apparently been ‘road raced’.....a very cruel activity.

Cara is a dear little pony; we do have trouble keeping weight on her because of her nature, she has always been at the bottom of ‘the pecking order’ – but she is bonded very closely with Nonny and Lettie, when we lost Nonny and Lettie, Cara then bonded with Ben, sadly we lost Ben early in 2012, she has now formed an attachment with Tootsie.